Quad core showing Dual core

If you go to
msconfig->Boot->Advanced Options->Number of Cores
What does it say?

check with your motherboard manufacturer and see if you need a bios update to.
then do as jbakerlent says.
also open task manager, under performance you should see 4 bars if the cpu is working properly and recognized by the o.s and bios as a core 2 quad.
the Q9300 does not have hyper threading so you wont see any virtual cores.

The problem is your operating system which don't properly handle hardware changes as CPU, if you had run a Unix or Linux, you would have got the CPU information updated automatically.

I think I found the problem.

Now my system doesn't boot up at all(if it does and I get lucky, it freezes on "Starting Windows.

One of the transistors(unsure of actual name) is gone. I can see the leads for it, but the "black box" is gone:

[img][/img]

dude. I'd be so f'n pissed....!!!!
is it too late now to return, where did you get it.?
too bad you don't have screen shots or reports from day one of the defective chip.
to show proof of it being defective upon initial install.
of course the sender might fight you on that so it might be a no win situation your in, hope not..
if it's too late to RMA or the option is not available, a high end electronics shop will have a trans
for it and a good local jeweler can tend to it.
i've only heard of it being done so I can't verify the process but it does seem logical..
good-luck.

I am pissed lol. I got it from MicroCenter last year, but they told me because it is physically damaged it would not be exchanged, it only covers defective chips(for all they know I could have broken it). I contacted Intel and I am going through the RMA process now, hopefully it will go through and I'll get a replacement. The CS rep told me that it could be rejected by the RMA department if they deem me at fault(which might happen). The only way I can see this happening is from those awful push pin heatsinks they give you which I was forced to use until my aftermarket HSF came in.

Anywho, I need a replacement board too, my board is failing to initialize my RAM, but it's perfectly good RAM. I saw a few bent pins in the socket, but I wont try to bend them back in hopes to exchange it for a new board with XFX.

^^ That's what I was going to do, but if I only have to spend $40 for a board rather than +/-200 for DDR3 RAM, Mobo, and chip.

I still feel like the Core 2 Quads are worth getting replaced rather than thrown away. I rarely do any video rendering/editing, I only play some games here and there+lots of web surfing.

I just shipped my chip to intel, 99% sure I'm getting a replacement. My CS rep seemed to think I would, even after seeing the picture of the damage.

Thanks for all your help guys, and I'll make sure my board recognizes all 4 cores next time I drop it in my system.